It Took My Friend Getting Shot At A Party For Me To Take My Safety & Life Seriously

“The truth was that a deep urge to numb the sadness and loneliness I felt most of the time trumped my judgement and my sense of self-preservation. And I needed to examine why I barely felt alive unless I was flirting with serious danger.”

When I moved to Brooklyn, one of my favorite things to do after partying all night was head to the after hours spots with my friends. These underground venues are usually small parties held in the random basements of people’s houses. Remember the rowdy basement party in Sean Paul’s “Get Busy/Like Glue” music video? That is the most accurate portrayal of these gatherings.

The thing about these parties is that they are illegal, point blank. They almost always reach way beyond the maximum occupancy limit. There is no liquor license, yet there is always a makeshift bar available where you can buy drinks. There have been quite a few times when the cops were called, because these parties can get pretty loud, and dare I say, extremely dangerous.